Enemy Of My Enemy
by bloodeemaree
Summary: Have you ever wonder how Cho reacted after the last task when Harry pulled Cedric's body through? Draco wondered the same thing.
1. The Last Task

**Disclaimer:** I make no money at all from JKR's creations nor do I ever intend to try. I am doing this for fun. Her world is just really cool to play in.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**Enemy of My Enemy**   


She thought that the pain swelling in her chest would alleviate after she spoke with Professor Flitwick, but it hadn't. He'd been understanding and sympathetic to her, but he had next to no information about what happened. Cho Chang knew that her Head of House had gone to Professor Dumbledore and asked that the Headmaster give Cho at least a few minutes of time and consideration. Professor Flitwick was a wonderful Head of Ravenclaw House, but obviously did not carry the same weight with the Headmaster as Professor McGonagall did with Gryffindor House. Cho knew that she would get no more information tonight using authoritative routes. 

The images of Harry Potter dragging her boyfriend Cedric Diggory's body from the maze, and then collapsing next to it played again in her mind. A fresh wash of tears spilled over her face and her sob echoed through the still halls of the castle. She desperately wanted to know what happened in that maze. _It just wasn't fair that no one would tell her anything. Couldn't everyone see how much she was hurting? Couldn't everyone see that she cared for Cedric? Why was everyone pushing her off to the side as though she didn't matter? _

She knew Harry had a crush on her. He'd asked her to the Yule Ball and she often caught him staring at her in The Great Hall during meals. While it was kind of flattering that the younger boy liked her looks, Cho was not really interested in Harry. It wasn't his age, though. It was more that he was somewhat of a geek, really. Harry was just not her type. Oh, he was famous, rumored to be rich, and a great seeker, which did make him an attractive catch, but it wasn't enough to really hold her interest. 

Cedric may not have had the fame or wealth, but he was a Champion, and a great Seeker too. In addition, Cedric was handsome and Cho fancied him straight away. Cedric asked her to the Ball first and she knew that she was lost in him when he kissed her after the Ball. 

Harry's crush became somewhat annoying after that. He was always blushing and staring. It was mildly creepy, really. Normally, she tried to ignore it. _She couldn't exactly tell him to bugger off, now could she?_

Everyone around him seemed to think he was wonderful and the Headmaster obviously favored him. At the moment Cho wasn't so sure he was all that wonderful. 

Nevertheless, she thought she might be able to use his crush to her advantage tonight. If she could get into the hospital wing and talk to him, maybe he would tell her what happened. Maybe he could relieve some of the pain she was feeling. Harry would tell her. She was sure of it. 

Cho padded softly towards the hospital wing. The halls seemed unnaturally quiet to her. She could hear her own soft breath and imagined that she could also hear her own beating heart being torn in half. The torches along the walls seemed dimmer than usual, somehow. As if the light mourned with her. 

Cho stopped short. _What was that noise?_ Her ears perked, but she heard only silence. She was sure she had heard something. 

_Mrs. Norris, perhaps?_ Mrs. Norris would not be an obstacle. She despised cats and would think nothing of launching Mrs. Norris into the air like a wild Bludger to get the damn thing out of her way. If the cat didn't land on its' feet, all the better. 

She heard nothing for a few more seconds and began to move on, a bit more wary of her surroundings. It seemed that the shadows cast from firelight danced to an unheard beat. Darkness enveloped her and faded as she walked between torches. 

She stiffened as she felt the hair on the back of her neck rise. It felt as if someone was watching her. A tingle ran down the length of her spine and her chest started to constrict in a wave of panic. _Okay Cho, you are just a little freaked out. It's understandable. Pull yourself together._

She forced herself to slow down. The feeling that she was not alone in the hallway refused to leave, so she used the self-control calming techniques she'd known since she was a child. She forced her breathing to become steady and deep. She thought deeply about each movement that her legs made as she stepped forward towards the Hospital Wing. She narrowed her concentration to the muscle movement in her calves and thighs as they worked in tandem to carry her forward. She muted out the darkened castle walls and the flickering torchlight. She stared straight ahead as she walked, her goal, her breath, and her muscles focused in her mind. 

When she reached the Hospital wing and saw the brighter glow coming under the door, she expelled a long soft breath. Voices coming from the wing calmed her irrational fears. She moved to the door and reached out for the handle. 

An unfamiliar female voice rang out, "Sirius Black!" 

Cho swiftly pulled her hand from the door. 

_Sirius Black? The murderer Sirius Black?_

"Mum, shut up! It's OK!" 

_That voice sounded like Harry's friend. The redheaded one - One of the Weasleys. What's okay? Sirius Black is okay? What the devil does that mean? Was that who killed Cedric? _

She recognized the next loud voice as that of the Potion Master. He sounded very angry. "Him! What's he doing here?" 

Then the voices became low and it sounded as if the Headmaster was there and was interceding. 

There was silence and the prickling feeling returned to the back of her neck and spine. She saw the door knob move slightly. Cho backed away from the door and pushed herself into the shadows of a small alcove just as a large black dog came loping out of the Hospital Wing. It paused briefly a few feet from where she was standing, held up its' head and sniffed the air. 

Cho shuddered. It looked like a Grim. The dog shook its' matted coat vigorously and moved on, gaining speed as it headed away from Cho. 

_What was a dog doing in the hospital wing?_

The door remained open and Cho put one foot forward, hoping to glimpse inside the wing when Professor Snape exited the same door. Cho cursed her luck. 

_What is this, King's Cross? _

Snape passed in front of her clutching his left arm. He seemed to be in pain and in an extremely bad temper. _What is going on here? _

Cho stayed in the alcove. After a moment passed, the door opened and closed. This time the Headmaster exited. He paused in front of the alcove and looked directly at her. He tilted his head slightly and asked, "Miss Chang?" 

Cho began to shake, but reluctantly stepped from the alcove. "Sir?" 

"I see you are hoping to talk to Harry. To question him about the evening?" 

"Y-Yes, sir." 

"I am very sorry, but I am afraid that will be quite impossible, Miss Chang. He's just taken a Dreamless Sleep Potion. It will be many hours before he is able to talk about the things that he has witnessed this evening. Perhaps even longer than that. Come walk with me. I am just going back to my office to see the Diggorys." 

At the mention of their name, Cho felt her eyes begin to burn as tears threatened to flow once again. She caught her voice and asked plainly, "Sir, can _you_ tell me what happened? Please?" 

"I'm afraid I can only give you part of the story at this time, Miss Chang. I would like to tell you more and help put some of your hurt to rest, but I think it is best that I have a word with Cedric's parents before I do that, don't you?" 

The Headmaster's face was lined with pity, worry, and something else. It was unfamiliar on his face. _What was it? Fear? Apprehension? _

They stopped walking and after a heartbeat of wonder Cho spoke, "What ever you can tell me will be fine, sir." 

As the Headmaster spoke, Cho detected sorrow in his voice, "I can tell you now that Cedric did not suffer. He died instantly. I must also hasten to add that Harry is not to blame for Cedric's death. That is really all I can say for now, Miss Chang. I do wish that I could tell you more. However, you will learn more in time, that much I can promise you." 

Cho nodded. She knew little more than she did a few minutes ago. _The Headmaster doesn't blame Harry for Cedric's death. There's a headline,_ Cho thought wryly. _Alert the sodding press. Harry could murder half the school in cold blood and the Headmaster would just look at him benevolently and smile, certain that he must have had a good reason for doing so. _

She sucked in her breath and muttered quietly, "Thank you, sir." 

Her eyes flicked back to the Hospital Wing. 

Professor Dumbledore gently laid his hand on her shoulder, looked into her bloodshot eyes and said, "I know that this is extremely difficult for you, but I must ask you not to go back there. The Weasley family is with Harry and he is almost certainly asleep by now." 

Cho nodded. "I understand, sir." 

_So, that was Harry's Weasley friend she'd heard. _

For a brief moment, she thought that she saw Professor Dumbledore's eyes stray over her right shoulder, and then the look was gone. The Head Master motioned that they should move forward. They walked on in silence until they reached the staircase leading to Dumbledore's office. 

"Good night, Miss Chang. If you have problems sleeping, please see Professor Flitwick and he can get you a Sleeping Potion from Madam Pomfrey to ease your pain for a bit." 

"I will Professor." 

The Headmaster gave her a reassuring smile, "I won't forget you. I promise I will talk with you further tomorrow." 

"Thank you. Good night, sir." 

The Headmaster nodded and rounded the alcove before the stairs. Cho continued walking towards the Ravenclaw staircase. She felt small and insignificant, as if she were an insect with no feelings that everyone assumed could be brushed aside. She cared deeply for Cedric! Cho felt like her insides were a swirling lake of fire. Anger began to replace her sadness. 

_How could they do this to her? How could they keep her in the dark like this? Why wouldn't anyone tell her what happened? _

"Well, well. Cho Chang. What are you doing out so late? Going to see the great hero Potter, eh? Bet he loved that." 

Malfoy's drawl was unmistakable. 

_Great. Malfoy. A perfect end to the evening._

"What do you want, Malfoy?" she hissed as she turned and faced him, her face a mask of anger and steel. 

His gray eyes bored into her brown. His face twisted into a half smile as he answered her, "Oh, nothing. Just wanted to see how you are getting on, that's all." 

Cho's face grimaced a bit at his blatant lie, "You were following me, weren't you?" 

"For a bit, yes. I had a feeling you might be going to see Potter to find out what happened to your boyfriend. I knew you might be curious and I see that I was right," Malfoy let out a quiet, sarcastic laugh and continued, "I also see you talked to the Headmaster. Being part of Potter's fan club, I doubt he told you anything of worth." 

When she spoke, Cho's voice dripped with anger, "Why? Do _you_ know something Malfoy? If you do, out with it." 

"I might. I know that Potter was involved." 

Cho rolled her eyes. "Well of course he was. He was there. He was the one who brought Cedric's body back." 

"That's not all Potter brought back tonight." 

"What do you mean, Malfoy? Speak plainly or shut it and get away from me." 

Draco tilted his head and his white blonde hair caught the torchlight and glinted red. He began to walk a slow circle around Cho. She stiffened, unwilling to show fear to him. 

"You-know-who is back, Chang. And our perfect Mr. Potter helped bring him back." 

Something inside Cho clicked and she felt anger rising to her face making it feel warm. Weakly she responded, "I don't believe you, Malfoy." 

Although he was only slightly taller than she, Cho felt him lean into her from behind. She could feel his breath on her neck as he moved his hands to her shoulders. She stood very still in silence for what felt like minutes. 

When he finally spoke, she could smell his breath. It smelled sweet, like peppermint, "No? Cedric was killed by a curse, Chang. An unforgivable. Think about it. Think about the people who are capable of that." Draco pulled back slightly. 

Cho thought back on hearing that woman cry out the name 'Sirius Black' immediately followed by the admonition from Harry's friend that it was "OK". Wasn't Black a follower of the Dark Lord? Maybe there was truth in what Malfoy was saying. 

Malfoy walked back around and probed her face with silky gray eyes. Without loosing eye contact, she nodded at him to continue. 

"Think about it, Chang." Draco's smile broadened, "Remember, the enemy of my enemy is my friend." 

He turned away from her and walked toward the dungeons. He looked once over his shoulder at her with what she could only describe as a secret smile. 

Cho was silent. Draco had just told her more than anyone else had all night. Nevertheless, the thought of You-Know-Who returning was, well, impossible. It just wasn't true. It couldn't be. 

_Could it?_

If it was, why would Harry be involved? He was the person who had defeated him twice before. 

_Or had he?_

Most of the tales she'd heard about The Boy Who Lived resembled myth and rumors. Hardly the basis for making a judgment. But, he _was_ a Parselmouth; everyone knew that. Could he have been responsible for Cedric's death? Did Harry actually know Sirius Black? There had been rumors during her fourth year that Sirius Black was somehow related to Harry. Was Harry somehow responsible for Cedric's death by knowing Sirius Black? 

Cho knew she didn't trust Malfoy, but his words rang the truest of all she'd heard this evening. She would find out more tomorrow and then she would consider what Malfoy had told her. If there were truth to it, she would speak to him again. 

Deep in thought, Cho slowly walked back to her dormitory. 


	2. Whispers On The Express

**Summary:** Chapter 2 - Cho's world spins out of control. Whispers take hold and anger becomes her. Holiday plans and the future looms large.   
**Disclaimer:** I make no money at all from JKR's creations nor do I ever intend to try. I am doing this for fun. Her world is just really cool to play in.   
  
  
  


**Enemy Of My Enemy**

  


_Chapter 2 - Whispers On The Express_

  
Cho sat alone in a compartment on the Hogwarts Express, staring forlornly out the window. She had much to think about. The last few days of term and the Leaving Feast were a disaster. She spent the time in a depressed funk, unwilling to allow her fellow Ravenclaws to draw more than a few words from her. They couldn't possibly understand what she was going through and she was certainly in no mood to explain it to them. Cho leaned her head against the window, closed her eyes, and allowed her mind to drift over the events of the past few days. 

She was summoned to see the Headmaster the day after the tournament ended. Cho had never been in Dumbledore's office alone before. She'd been there with the other Prefects in happier times, but had never noticed how ominous the Headmaster's office actually was. The paintings of the former school headmasters seemed disturbing somehow, as if they slept not in deep rest, but in oblivion, unaware that life occurred all around them. Above her eye level, the others, with eyes wide open, seemed to be sitting in judgment of her, their eyes following her when she made the slightest movement. 

The items that were once familiar and reassuring to her now looked shabby and gloomy. Even the Sorting Hat, which had given her one of the happiest moments of her life, being sorted into Ravenclaw, looked like nothing more than a simple, sad hat with patches and untended rips. This office was no longer a happy place for her. 

Cho reckoned that Dumbledore told Harry's version of the story, unquestioning and with great sorrow. Professor Dumbledore spoke to her in calm, even tones, explaining that Harry saved Cedric from the Acromantula and despite being closer to the Cup, Cedric insisted that Harry take the cup and the win. 

At this, Cho thought, _'Damn you, Cedric, for being so noble and kind. Look where it got you. It got you dead. Why did you have to trust everyone? Why did you trust Harry Potter, of all people?'_

Dumbledore's story continued. Harry and Cedric decided to split the victory, because it would still be a victory for Hogwarts. He told her about the Cup as a Portkey, the graveyard, and the unidentified Death Eater who greeted Harry and Cedric there. When he explained that Voldemort ordered the Killing Curse upon Cedric, Cho jumped at the mention of the Dark Lord's name. She interrupted the Headmaster and asked, "Who was it?" 

"I'm sorry, Miss Chang, but that is something that I can not tell you," Dumbledore responded with a look of pity. 

Cho gaped at him. She imagined that she could feel Malfoy's hands on her shoulders and smell his peppermint breath. Her mouth dropped open and she asked in disbelief, "But, how?" 

"There will be investigations, Miss Chang. It is not for me to determine whom. The Ministry of Magic will see to it that the appropriate person is captured and set to trial in the matter of Cedric's death," Dumbledore said this as if he himself did not believe it. He looked quite uncomfortable and Cho wondered why this was his demeanor. In case he was pondering how she knew enough to ask questions regarding whom, she attempted to cover her conversation with Malfoy, "No, how, could it be You-Know-Who? He's not here. I know there was Death Eater activity at the World Cup, but I haven't heard a thing since." 

Dumbledore sighed and looked deeply into her eyes over the rim of his half-moon glasses. He seemed to be considering her and assessing exactly what she knew. He did not offer a sympathetic tone when he told her, "Voldemort has been resurrected." 

Cho sat back in her chair with her mouth hanging open. She already knew that the Dark Lord was back, of course. What amazed her was Malfoy telling the truth. Malfoy said that Harry helped bring the Dark Lord back. At that moment, Malfoy seemed to her to have more information than the Headmaster. Dumbledore wasn't telling her the Death Eater's identity, so Cho's mind pushed the building blocks together. _'Sirius Black, that's who. Sirius Black killed Cedric and Harry Potter helped him. Then they resurrected the Dark Lord. Of course, Dumbledore would rather gnaw off his own arm than admit that Harry might be involved. He'll never admit the obvious.'_

Cho began to shake. Everything that she thought was right in the world had just been flipped upside down. Bad was good, good was bad. The truth was nothing but a lie of omission. Anger began to build in the pit of her stomach. She was barely aware that Dumbledore was still droning on, extolling the virtues of everything Potter. 

_'Focus yourself and get out of here,'_ Cho thought. She pulled herself up straight and took several deep breaths through her nose; expelling her emotions each time she released a breath. She concentrated on relaxing her toes since it was possibly the least visible part of her that was tense. As she regained her composure, she allowed Dumbledore's words to seep in. She soon realized he was trying to cajole a response from her. Still slightly shaky, she responded, "Thank you, Professor. I appreciate that you took the time to see me today." 

With that, she stood up and turned to leave. She heard Professor Dumbledore rise as he said, "Miss Chang, I can see the anger in your face. Please try to think about this. You are a very intelligent young woman and you know that I can not divulge information that is not mine to give. In addition, I must insist that you do not breathe a word of this outside of this office. The safety of the school and the lives of others may depend upon what you choose to say about this. The other students look up to you, Miss Chang." 

Cho did not turn, but nodded her ascent, "Don't worry, Sir, I won't breath a word to anyone." 

In the days that followed, Cho avoided contact with both Malfoy and with anyone who associated with Harry Potter. She did not think it would be hard to do since Malfoy associated primarily with Slytherins and Potter with the Gryffindors, and both were a year behind her at school, therefore, they had completely different sets of friends. As long as she surrounded herself with Ravenclaws, she reckoned that she could avoid them both. 

She turned out to be correct with Potter. She saw him at meals sitting with Weasley and that bushy-haired girl who went to the Yule Ball with Viktor Krum. Occasionally she saw Harry looking at her, pity, sadness and pain all too visible in his eyes. When she caught his eyes, he looked away, his guilt mixing with the other emotions. It annoyed her that she was getting pity from him, the very person who caused it all. _'He is the only one, out of all the students here, that knows The Dark Lord. And the Dark Lord knows him. Potter is the reason we are all in danger.'_

Malfoy, on the other hand, was less easy to avoid. _He_ didn't look away when she caught his eye in the hallways or in the Great Hall. There was no sadness, guilt, or pain in his expression; in fact the opposite was true. He looked triumphant when he caught her eyes and often gave her a glimpse of that small, secret smile. At first, it angered Cho that he could be so happy and sure of himself when she was so miserable and confused. 

The day before the Leaving Feast, Malfoy found her sitting alone by the lake. She'd allowed herself to escape from the Ravenclaw dormitory in the early morning hours to meditate near water. She needed quiet and solitude to center her thoughts, so she slipped out alone. 

Malfoy came upon her quietly, his greeting sparking her rudely from her meditations. She remained in her meditative pose and ignored him, expecting that he would leave. But, he didn't. He slid to the ground next to her. Instinct told her to stand and leave in disgust. This was not just an ordinary Slytherin; it was Malfoy, after all. Logically, Cho knew that if someone saw her interacting with him, her reputation could be damaged. However, a small finger pushed at her brain gently, telling her to stay, just to see if she could wring any tidbit of information from him. 

"Did you think about what I told you, Chang?" 

Cho was silent, but she glanced sideways at him quickly. A smirk crossed Malfoy's pointed face, "I see you did. Good. Did you speak to Dumbledore again?" 

Cho remained silent, willing her face to show nothing. 

"Another yes," Draco said, his eyes dancing with a morbid glee. 

Tears were starting to well in Cho's eyes. _'Damn him for making me cry again! '_

The pair sat in silence, gazing out at the lake, Cho's face streaming with tears and Malfoy's a mask of passivity. She could feel confidence radiating from him like cold steel. All of the words she'd heard and the looks of the weary pity of others ground together in her stomach. Feeling as if she was going to be sick, she pulled her knees to her chest, wrapped her arms around her calves, laid her forehead to her knees and forced herself to breathe in steady increments. She needed more information and to get that she had to be Malfoy's intellectual equal. She knew what he was about, she'd grown up knowing the Malfoy's and she knew how to play their game. Once in control of her emotions, Cho turned her head toward Malfoy and purposefully blurted out, "What do you know about Sirius Black?" 

At this, Malfoy finally expressed real emotion as surprise jumped onto his face. This was obviously not the question he expected to hear from her. Before he could think about it, he reacted, "Why? What's Black got to do with this?" 

_'Got him,'_ Cho thought with an inner grin. _'Keep going. This is what you wanted from him.'_

"I think he was there with Potter when Cedric was killed." 

Malfoy looked at her, obviously astonished, but quickly pulled his face back into one of complete cool composure. He tilted his head slightly and his voice was insolent, "He could have been, I guess." 

"You mean that you don't know, Malfoy?" There was a taunt in Cho's question. 

"Even if I did know, why would I tell you, Chang?" Malfoy frowned and glared at her. 

"Because you obviously want something from me," Cho spit out her words in a rush. If he didn't know anything about Black, she certainly wasn't going to give him the information she had. Information, no matter how small, was valuable and Cho hoarded it greedily. 

To her surprise, Malfoy chuckled. It startled her that Malfoy had a nice laugh. This was not the taunting, cruel laugh he normally used. This laugh was genuine and seemed to come from somewhere else entirely. Her reaction to his laugh must have registered on her face because his smile remained and touched the corners of his eyes. Leaning back with his palms on the bright green grass, he turned to her, and said quite plainly, "Of course I do, Chang. It's just refreshing to see someone who gets right to the point." 

Cho couldn't help herself. She smiled back at him. The muscles in her face felt tight and unused, but it felt good to finally stretch them for the first time in days. There was an unspoken knowledge in the smiles that they shared. Both of them came from families that spent an inordinate amount of time with the appearance of social norms and niceties. It actually was sort of refreshing to come out from behind them. When she spoke, her voice was soft, "What do you want from me, Malfoy?" 

Draco was silent and turned his expressionless gaze back to the lake. It was clear that his emotional guard was back on duty. When he finally spoke, his voice returned to slick tonality, "Truthfully, Chang, I'm not sure yet. But, I'm sick of Potter and his arrogance. I'm sure you are too. There has to be something in that. Maybe we can help each other someday." 

Cho just nodded as Malfoy stood, brushed himself off, and said good-bye, leaving Cho to slip back into her muddled thinking. 

The next time she saw him, they were at the Leaving Feast. The Great Hall was draped in black. Cho was aware of hundreds of eyes upon her when Dumbledore stood and began to speak. At the first mention of Cedric, Cho felt as if she wanted to burst, she wanted to scream at everyone in the hall. The fear, anger and pity were too much for her, and her carefully constructed emotional wall tumbled. Tears of anger and grief coursed down her face and dripped into her uneaten Potato Soup. The effort of lifting her hand from the table to wipe them away seemed nothing short of heroic, so she left them on the table. She was aware that everyone around her was standing and through an aural fog, she heard Cedric's name being said by everyone present. 

She heard Dumbledore speaking as if through a scrap of black cloth, muffled and dim, "Cedric was a person who exemplified many of the qualities that distinguish Hufflepuff House. He was a good and loyal friend, a hard worker, he valued fair play. His death has affected you all, whether you knew him well or not." 

Cho's heart tore in half and emotions began to pour out against the walls of her chest in gushing waves. The physical pain was becoming unbearable. _'I loved him so much.'_

Dumbledore continued, "I think that you have the right, therefore, to know exactly how it came about. Cedric Diggory was murdered by Lord Voldemort." 

Cho felt as if she were about to faint. He was telling everyone that which he made her pledge to silence. Anger pooled in the pit of her stomach and forced more tears to the surface. Dumbledore droned on in the background as people around her reacted to the news of Voldemort. 

Slowly, Cho gathered her will and picked up her head. It took a supreme effort, but she finally was able to fully open her stinging eyes. Her gaze rested on Malfoy, who was looking at her with a mixture of conquest and something else. _'Was that concern on **Malfoy's** face? No way.'_

Cho was vaguely aware of the arms and hands her fellow Ravenclaws were using to comfort her. She held Malfoy's eyes as he leaned in to say something to the two goons attached to his hip. Her tears ground to a halt. 

"Harry Potter," Dumbledore's voice rose to the front of her mind again. Anger, bordering on rage, rose hard into her throat. _'Potter again? What is it with that man and Potter? The Headmaster is a fan club of one!' _

"Harry Potter managed to escape Lord Voldemort." 

_'How?' _

"He risked his own life to return Cedric's body to Hogwarts." 

_'Yet, somehow, Cedric is still dead. I think the Headmaster is losing sight of what is important here.'_

"He showed, in every respect the sort of bravery that few wizards have ever shown in facing Lord Voldemort." 

_'Again, he survives while those around him die. Just like the legends say. Just like Cedric.' _

"And for this, I honor him." 

_'Honor?'_ She thought in disbelief as she looked in Potter's direction. Those around her stood again and raised their goblets in Potter's direction. She noticed that he was looking directly at Dumbledore. _'What is it with those two?'_

She flicked a glance at the Slytherin table where she noted that like her, most remained seated during the toast to Potter. The Ravenclaws slowly sat down around her and Dumbledore's voice dithered on about togetherness and other inane subjects that meant little to Cho at this point. She felt the dried salt from her tears on her cheek and slowly became aware that her friend Diane had taken her hand and was looking at her inquisitively, "Cho, are you sure you want to be here?" 

Cho shook her head in the negative, ready to leave. The food was uninviting and the atmosphere suddenly felt hostile to her. As quietly as possible, Cho slipped from the bench and allowed Diane to ease her arm around Cho's shoulders. Diane was a good friend. She knew when Cho wanted to talk and when she didn't. They walked in silence back to the Ravenclaw Dormitories. 

Diane helped her get ready for bed and gave her some of the Sleeping Potion that Cho had been using since the tournament ended. Cho did not want to dream. She wanted and needed uninterrupted, peaceful sleep. If she were honest with herself she would sleep all the time, if she could. So with her head on her pillow and Diane sitting beside her, Cho slid into oblivion. 

Diane made sure that Cho got a compartment to herself on the Express earlier in the day. She then left Cho alone and shooed all of the other Prefects and Ravenclaws away. For that, Cho was very grateful. She didn't know why it had become so difficult to talk to her friends. They all expressed sympathy and pity, keeping their voices soft, and looking at her as if she were something that would break if they touched her to roughly. She knew that she was no longer the fun-loving, tough, centered Quidditch girl she had been a few short days ago. She was changing. She had to change or she feared that she would lose her center, her steel and her will completely. Since the Feast, anger slammed into her chest at inopportune times and tension ground at her jaw and neck. Something had to give soon. 

Cho was no longer sure that simply having information would suffice. The beginnings of something else wormed its way into her brain. The desire for revenge. It sat in the back, hiding and waiting for her. 

When the train finally came to a stop at King's Cross, Cho was still lost in her thoughts. It was several moments before she realized that the normally noisy train was quiet. She gathered her things and stepped from the compartment. She began to walk right, towards the open door, but something caught her eye to the left. _'Who is that laying on the floor? Is that Malfoy? What's wrong with him?'_

Cho let go of her things, leaving them in the aisle as she hurried back to Malfoy's prone figure. Crabbe and Goyle lay on either side of him. Cho stepped over Goyle and pushed him out of the way with her foot. _'What the devil happened to him? Eww. That looks like a Furnunculus Curse...sort of. What's with the tentacles? He's covered in hex marks!'_

Cho took out her wand and swished it over Malfoy. "_Finite Incantatum._" 

Some of the marks disappeared, some didn't. The tentacles were noticeably smaller, though. With another swish, Cho murmured, "_Ennervate._" 

Malfoy sat up and shook his head, the rubbery tentacles moving slightly in odd directions. Cho struggled not to laugh out loud. Malfoy looked up at her, malice shining brightly on his face. "Think this is funny, Chang?" 

Cho coughed and said, "No, Draco, I don't think it's funny. Who did this to you?" 

"_Bloody_, fucking Potter and his slimy git friends, who else?" 

Malfoy's eyes burned with rage as he got to his feet and strode angrily over the prone body of Goyle. 

Without glancing at Cho he said plainly, "I'll see you over the holiday, Chang." 

Cho just nodded, though he couldn't see her. She always saw Malfoy over the holiday. 

Always. 

Cho grabbed her bags and followed Malfoy toward the platform. 

  
  
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A/N: Thank you, Hettie. 

"At that moment, something caught her eye. Something snagged the hem of her vision and yanked her like a child. A moon ray had penetrated the one clear pane and was illuminating an object. She walked and picked the object up. For the first time, she took account of the pack of Camels." ---Tom Robbins in the novel Still Life With Woodpecker. 


End file.
